For the Moment
by AngelZephyr
Summary: - Vincent x Aeris - A requested fic:: Vincent helps Aeris decorate her Christmas tree and... *Part 1* [It's sort of weird... I'm in Christmas mode here... you can't expect everything to make sense do you? ^.~] And yes, I'm back!


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For the Moment

The woman no longer possessed that outgoing personality she once had but more of an introverted type of lady. For this winter, she rid herself of the pink button-up dress and the scarlet vest that slipped on over her garb and replaced them with the attire consisting of a white blouse, unbuttoned in the lower half and a pair of blue denim flares. 

Aeris pulled aside the sliding door and stepped out into the balcony where tiny crystals fell upon her and the balcony itself. Some of them, however, fluttered down onto the pallid ground below. She walked back inside and shut the door, shivering from the cold she had just previously experienced. She walked downstairs into the kitchen, hoping she had the right ingredients to make a cup of hot chocolate.

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/Water, chocolate, marshmallows… /

She carefully poured water into the kettle and placed it over the stove and turned it on. Waiting for it to boil she grabbed a cup from her kitchen cabinet and set it down on the quaint coffee table set in her kitchen. From the small cupboard she acquired a tin can of chocolate power and also set it on the table. The package of marshmallows was also taken.

The kettle whistled loudly and Aeris knew it was time to take it off. She praised Tifa for her kitchen skills. She knew if she handled such content on her own it probably would've burned. She couldn't say she was a bad cook but she wasn't a good one either.

She poured the hot water into her mug followed by a few teaspoons of chocolate. She stirred it for a little while and dropped a couple of mini marshmallows into it and stirred it once again. Picking the cup into her hands she sipped a little bit.

She spit it out into the sink.

"So much for that…" She muttered to herself. As she was about to pour the water out she heard the front door open.

"Aunt Aeris!" A girl squealed and ran into the kitchen behind her. Then, the girl pointed out into the vestibule where a man and another young girl were standing. The other girl, however, was holding a long, wooden stick and was dressed in all black with a cloth covering her mouth.

"Muahaha! I am the Great Sephiroth and I'm here to destroy you!" She cackled madly followed by a giggle. All Aeris could do was stare, yet smile.

"Aunt Aeris! She's playing Sephiroth again!" She tattled in a whiny voice. "You better stop it! Or I'll… I'll… I'll kick you in the butt!"

Vincent stepped into the kitchen and smiled with embarrassment. 

Smiling.

Something he didn't do often except on rare occasions.

"Sorry Aeris. Tifa called early on and said you needed help with the tree." He pointed behind him into the living room where a fresh Christmas tree was. "And I also want to apologize for those two. Cid asked me to take Calissa with me because they're going out on their anniversary and as for Fuyumi… she, uh, followed me." 

Fuyumi stopped chasing Calissa and grinned widely. "That's right! Daddy said I could!"

Aeris shook her head, smiling. "Seems like he's passing on his traits to you, huh?"

"Um… I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not but since it's coming from you, Aunt Aeris, I'll let you go." She held her "sword" up once more. "I'm here to destroy you!"

She ran towards the direction Calissa ran off too. Suddenly, she fell flat on her face. Fuyumi looked behind her and saw Calissa with a smug grin gracing her lips, her foot stuck out. Then, she stuck her tongue out at the girl on the floor.

"Don't mess with me!" 

"Oh phooey. You're just a big, fat, stupid bully."

"Big and fat I resent." She huffed. "Stupid, maybe. But bully? Definitely not! Besides, look at yourself!" And disappeared into the kitchen.

"I'm not fat either!" She said following after Calissa. "And bully… _probably_, but I'm not saying- oooh! Hot chocolate? Were you making some Aunt Aeris? Do you still have some?"

Calissa crossed her arms over her chest and sighed wistfully. "See what I mean?"

"What?" Fuyumi wondered aloud with her mouth stuffed full of marshmallows.

Vincent shook his head lightly. Calissa then looked at Aeris and pointed at the kettle set down near the sink.

"Do you still have hot chocolate?"

"No, I'm afraid not. I guess cooking isn't a well trait of mine." 

"Can I make it?" Calissa asked eagerly. "My Mommy taught me and so did Aunt Tifa! I can make it!"

"Yeah, she makes the best chocolate stuff!" Fuyumi nodded.

"Only because you eat it." Calissa mumbled. "Anyway, yeah. You and Uncle Vincent can decorate the tree!"

Vincent stayed silent and shifted his weight when she mentioned "Uncle." He was obviously uncomfortable with the title.

Calissa sighed and shoved Aeris and Vincent into the living room when they refused to move. Fuyumi on the other hand, spit out some of the marshmallows in her mouth and ran over Vincent to hug him.

"No! You can't leave me!"

"Lay off. They're just decorating the tree you half-pint midget." Calissa taunted and watched as Fuyumi let go of him. From behind her, she took out her "sword" once more. 

"I am the Great Se-

"Oh put a sock in it already and help me make some chocolate."

"You're such a meanie."

"Who do you think I picked it up from?" Her sea-colored eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Don't you dare say my daddy because I will bop you with-

"Jeez. Forget the stick and _help_ me!"

"So touchy…"

"I heard that!"

* . * . *

Aeris went into the walk-in closet under the stairway and dragged out a box full of ornaments across the floor. Barely out of the closet she felt the box being lifted and watched as Vincent carried it into his arms. 

"All you could have done was ask." He said gently and walked into the living room. Aeris pursed her lips and smiled to herself, unaware of the pink tinge that made its way onto her cheeks.

When all was set she reached into the box and grabbed a few angel ornaments, moon-shaped ones, her Holy materia…

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/I had no use of it…/

… And an ornament of a figure skater on a cloud, dressed in a butterfly costume. 

Figure Skater.

Ice skating.

She looked at the nearby closet. Vincent stole a glimpse of her and quirked a brow, noticing how she seemed to be boring holes into her own door.

"Thinking of anything in particular?" He questioned softly. "Is there more ornaments in there?"

His voice broke her out of her reverie.

"No. I was- no, it's nothing."

Aeris began hanging the decorations one by one, slowly slipping into her own dream oblivion, ignoring the stare she was being given by Vincent. Obviously not paying attention to him, he hung his share of ornaments occasionally looking at her.

"Aww, how sweet is that?" Calissa whispered.

"Vincent does look sweet…" Fuyumi said dreamily. She resumed her previous expression when she felt a slight nudge to her side. 

"Someone has the hots for Vincent." Her friend giggled.

"I do not!" Fuyumi huffed and crossed her arms. "I bet you have the hots for Cloud!"

"He's my uncle." She replied informingly, looking at the other girl as if she were crazy.

"Well, I know you like someone!"

"Sure I do. I just don't feel like telling you."

"That's not fair! I told you!"

"Nope. I figured it out on my own." Calissa stated matter-of-factly. 

Fuyumi was left with a hanging jaw as Calissa went back into the kitchen. She stirred the chocolate powder and water together, adding a bit of the milk intermittently. Then, she dropped in the marshmallows. Tapping her chin, she took out a mini pot and placed it on the stove.

Fuyumi came up beside her. "Your daddy's gonna be mad at you. Just you wait."

"Nuh uh! My mommy said I could handle things because I'm a big girl!"

Fuyumi snorted. "You're nine!"

"So are you!" She retorted. 

Calissa broke off pieces of a chocolate bar left in the refrigerator and dropped it into the pan of a small amount of melted butter. 

"Can you get me the vanilla cake batter I made?"

"Where is it?"

"In the fridge."

Fuyumi obliged and took out the tin bowl. She took in a sniff of the vanilla batter and felt her mouth water. "Yummy! What are you making?"

"Whatever it will be it's not for _you_!"

"What are you talking about? It is so!" 

"Nope. It's for Aunt Aeris and Uncle Vincent and me."

Fuyumi kicked a nearby chair.

"Why not me?" She demanded.

"You weren't originally invited. You just followed remember?"

"You're mean!"

"I was joking."

"You're still mean!"

"You whine a lot."

"So?"

"I'm gonna take one of your socks and shove it down your throat."

"See! That's violence right there!"

"Like you trying to slay me isn't violent?"

"Well…"

"Ha!"

Fuyumi hopped onto one of the chairs and sulked.

* . * . *

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." Aeris replied. 

Vincent decided to shrug off the questions. He didn't want to be a bother and Aeris just seemed… busy. 

He stood off to one side of the room and looked at the tree from his angle. He had to admit that it was pretty. It wasn't elaborately decorated but neither was it _plain_. Aeris just had that special tactic – to make something not so simple, yet not so intricate. It amazed him at times and others… he just didn't take note of it.

And he wondered why.

His gaze averted to the tree.

Only one thing was missing…

The star. 

"Do you have something to put on top?" He asked Aeris quietly, hoping that his voice wouldn't disturb her still thoughts.

"In the box."

Vincent reached inside and pulled out the last ornament there. He had to admit, it was one he had never thought would be used but it was a simple photo in a star frame. 

But that was just like Aeris.

Original and mystifying.

He hooked the ornament to the top of the tree and admired it with Aeris. 

It was definitely a piece of work despite the little time it took to decorate the tree.

And he smiled.

Fuyumi and Calissa were halfway into the living room and saw the duo looking at the tree in solace. Calissa retreated her form back into the kitchen and Fuyumi stared.

Many unspoken words hung in the air but it was better left that way.

For the moment.

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I love you

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Author's Note: For crying out loud, this might've well been a vignette. It had no meaning at all and you're probably saying right now, "What the hell was this crap? It wasn't even a story! There's no detail, no nothing!"

Okay, I admit I left out probably major parts. And I also left a lot of things unanswered just for personal reasons. Don't ask because I don't know myself. However, I plan to write a sequel because my sister's requesting that I do. Wait… she's not requesting it. She's demanding that I do. But it all depends on how many people want me to because I'm not gunna do it if there's no reason to and no one's gunna even read it.

This was my **2nd** Vincent and Aeris fic and it still turned out crappy. I know. And enjoy this just to humor me. I'm desperate here! The last time I wrote this I said my sister made me write it and I wasn't into this and I was shit on. Jeezus. So can you please be kind to me? It's like my first time back after a VERY long hiatus for ff7. (I've recently gone into the dark side… -cough-writingaboutboybands-cough-)

And for you who truly despised this with all the passion you can muster and you desperately want to tell me that I suck, I shouldn't even be writing, this stuff was sick because it contained Vincent and Aeris, **WHY** are you even reading this??

Easily put, all of you can just BITE ME. I don't give a flying shit in a good wind anymore. So if you'd like to flame, let me know nicely and if you still can't do that, e-mail me and I'll just throw out some verbal abuses. Lately, I've been getting really good at that so if you mess with me, do it for the right reasons. Okay? Okay.

Sorry for the rest of you. From the looks of it I've gone from total fairy princess from short-tempered bitch. ^^;; But I'm just annoyed that SOME people can't accept the fact that I can write whatever I want whenever I want. And this is a **Christmas present** y'all. So gimme a break! Anyway, Merry Christmas/Happy Kwanzaa/Happy Hanukkah to you all and Happy/Merry to whatever you celebrate! (Sorry… my brain's kinda dead right now)

Luvs,

AngelZephyr


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